Secrets of the Past
by rylew
Summary: A story written by me and Leviathan 666. A discovery reveals a hidden power that could shift the balance of the world.
1. Discovery

**This is my first paired-up story. I'm not really good at disclaimers but the spotlight for this story also goes to Leviathan 666.**

**Enjoy and please R&R!**

* * *

The Sacred Island of Delos

The Sacred Island of Delos is considered as one of the most important Pan-Hellenic sanctuaries of Greece. According to the Greek mythology, Delos was the birth place of Apollo, the god of light and maybe of Artemis, the twin-sister of Apollo, goddess of hunting. Delos was also a sacred place in the ancient times. It worked both as a religious and trade centre. The excavations on Delos started in 1873 by the French School of Archaeology. Now included in the World Heritage Monuments protected by the UNESCO, it is a small islet situated a few miles from the famous island of Mykonos, in the centre of the Cyclades.

It is also a popular tourist site. The Mediterranean bustled with activities as ferry boats carried passengers in and out from Mykonos. An archaeological site had been set aside from the tourist areas. Workers went about as they excavated the ancient ruins. Observing the scene, Dr. Demetrio watched as the staff carefully analyzed each artifact. Having hailed from the University of Western Greece, the young Italian developed a passion for archaeology for as long as he could remember.

A radio boomed out, playing one of the heavy rock albums of "Pain". Demetrio returned his attention to the geographical map he had been studying. Across the table, his colleague, Dr. Lee was busily marking off some of the landmarks that had been excavated.

"Did you ever notice a pattern here?"

Lee paused and gazed out from behind the shades of his polarized lenses. "What do you mean?"

"Take a look at the map. All those sites you marked- they're forming into some kind of letter."

Lee studied the readings of the map. He then chuckled. "Hmph, now that you mention it it does kind of look like a letter."

There was a strong gust, followed by the sound of chopping blades of a helicopter. Looking up, he saw it was a navy blue and gold BELL 430 helicopter-the type of aircraft used by wealthier people-descending from the sky. A large "A" logo was stamped on its side, indicating it belonged to the Whitmore Company. Everyone stopped in the middle of their works as they gazed at the helicopter, entranced by it's luxurious appearance.

Demetrio joined with his fellow colleague, Dr. Lee as they approached the landing zone. "Well look who's here," he said.

"Did the president just arrive?" Lee muttered.

Immediately after the chopper landed, its side door swung open.

"_This _is the doctor?" Lee whispered.

Demetrio smiled. "Not a bad sight for sore eyes."

The doctor was a young woman- quite the opposite of what the archaeologists expected. In contrast to the chopper's luxurious appearance, her clothes were normal non-synthetic. She wore plain blue jeans and a white t-shirt. She also carried a large duffle bag around her shoulders.

"Demetrio approached the woman. "You must be Dr. Maria Yurieva," he extended his hand. "Welcome to the Sacred Island of Delos. I trust your trip went well?"

Maria seemed to relax as she shook his hand. "Yes, it did. Thank you. And you must be Dr. Demetrio. It is an honor to meet you. I've heard so much about your works." She brushed back a streak of her long brown hair. Upclose, Demetrio noticed that her hair had red shades.

Demetrio smiled back. "At least someone shows some appreciation." He introduced Lee and the other colleagues.

Mr. Whitmore always

Shall we have some refreshments before we show you around?"

Lee went back to finish his excavations with his team. Demetrio and Maria were sitting in a makeshift recreational area that had been set up in the middle of a ruined foundation. Maria gratefully accepted the vodka despite the fact that she had not reached her matured age. She wasn't much of a drinker nor could she come to understand how people could be so fond of the bitter taste. A row of ruined columns jutted out, giving a window-like appearance of the torquiose colored Mediterranean that matched the sky above it.

"It's very beautiful around this part of the island," said Maria.

"Yes, it is. I grew up around here where my father worked as a tourist guide," said Demetrio. "The ruins had always fascinated me from my childhood which is how I came to be here today."

Maria took a sip of her vodka. "You had me called in for assistance. As I can recall, was it because there was a particular language you were not able to decrypt?"

"As a matter of fact, there is." Demetrio drained his glass. "There's something I want to show you."

He showed her inside of a large recreational home, which had been made into rooms for tables filled with different artifacts from the dig sites. Each of the artifacts were marked and labeled according to their locations when they were found. One particular area caught her attention. Strewn across a table were pieces of stone tablets. Judging from the smoothness around the edges, they must have dated far before these ruins were even built.

"This one here is among our recent finds," said Demetrio. "None of the writings matched any of the languages from our records. With your expertise in linguistics, we were hoping that _you_ might be able to decipher it."

Maria moved around the table to get a better look. She then frowned. "I'm not fond of this language. It's not Latin nor Cycladic. I may, I would like to send one to my university. They might be able to verify it."

They were suddenly interrupted when Demetrio's walkie-talkie crackled on. It was Lee. He couldn't contain the excitement in his voice. "Demetrio, get over here right now. I think we've made another discovery!"

A large rectangular slab of marble laid partially buried in the dirt. Engraved on its surface Maria saw markings similar to the lores Demetrio had shown her earlier. From the handholds at its side, she could tell that the marble slab was actually a door.

"So what do you think? A vault or maybe a tomb?" asked Lee.

A crane truck pulled in. After carefully digging away the dirt, the archaeologists winched the crane to the door's handholds. Slowly but carefully, the door lifted from its place, revealing steps leading into an abyss.

"Probably a tomb," said Maria.

Having prepared their packs, Demetrio and Lee were already up to explore the new site. With flashlights in hands, they entered the dark tunnel. They later reemerged through the opening, confirming that it was safe enough to venture through.

"You won't believe this," Demetrio breathed. "Writings and murals and they're all over walls! Maria, you've got to come with us."

"Here," Lee handed Maria a radio. "Use this to keep in touch with everyone around here." He smiled and gave her a wink.

Maria was at a loss for words. Finally, something she had been yearning. Adventure, excitement, and a new doorway to discoveries. This definitely beats her dull life back at the university. She double-checked her pack, and found that it had everything she would need.

The team were wished good luck. Demetrio promised that the team would keep in contact through their radios.

Maria saw that Demetrio and Lee were both waiting at the entrance. "You ready?"

She took a deep breath and nodded. Together they descended down the stone steps before stepping into the darkness.

Already the place was pitch dark. Maria was glad she brought her own flashlight as a spare. Shining her light against a wall, she saw rows of columns that lined the tunnel. More of the writings dotted the surface along with colorful murals, each of them still in pristine condition.

Demetrio examined one of the columns. "It dates way back before the rise of the Greeks and even the first Pan-Hellenic people."

"But that's impossible! The techniques of these architectures surpasses even the Romans during their golden age," said Lee.

"Are you saying we stumbled onto a lost civilization?" Maria asked.

Demetrio scoffed. "I wouldn't count on it. Probably a historical gap that went lost. We're right near the shore." He motioned towards a particular area. "See? You can tell from the erosion of the sediments that this place was covered in water. That's probably why you assumed they dated from a much older period."

Maria looked at one of the murals. "They each tell a story. Long ago a meteorite struck the earth. The people forged it into an armor with each piece containing its own mythical powers- almost like a talisman. If a warrior was to put them on, he would become nearly undefeatable against his enemies."

"That's a scary thought," said Lee. He then started taking pictures with his camera.

Demetrio reported their finds through his radio. "Come on. Let's get moving."

The team continued venturing through the tunnel, analyzing and recording along the way until they came across a fork. Picking one tunnel, they folowed it until they found themselves inside of a large chamber with massive rows of columns.

"No one's been in here for at least a thousand years," said Demetrio.

At the other end of the room was a large altar. On top of it was a stone chest with four large, round golden shields leaning against it.

"Come on! I want to see what's in that chest!" said Demetrio.

Opening the chest, they found that it contained a small sword. Its sheath was embroidered with silver with gold coiling around it.

"It's beautiful!" Maria commented.

Demetrio picked up the weapon and found it was surprisingly light. Its hilt had a slot carved into it- as if it was meant to fit in a gemstone. He removed the blade from its sheath. It was still in such a pristine condition that it looked as if it had just been forged from a blacksmith.

"I wonder who made this," said Lee.

A soft rumble sounded.

"You hear that?"

Demetrio slipped the weapon back into its scabbard. "Yeah, I heard it." He tucked the sword into his pack. "Let's get out of here. I'm starting to not like this place."

The entire room suddenly shook.

"Wh-what's happening?" said Maria.

"Earthquake! We have to get out of here!" said Demetrio.

They all quickly made their way towards the exit- only to find the doorway blocked off by a large pile of debris.

"We're trapped!" said Lee.

Chunks of debris began to fall around the room, forcing everyone to take shelter beneath a large arch that was carved against a wall.

"There's water coming through!" Lee yelled.

"What do we do?" Maria cried.

Demetrio staggered towards the chest. "Give me a hand with this!"

Everyone helped him flip the chest off the altar.

"Get underneath it!"

It was suicide but it was their only chance.

The shaking grew worse. One of the columns fell with a cracking _thud_. Maria had to clamp her teeth to prevent them from clattering against each other.

Everyone tried using their radio but the only response they got was static. There was a loud groan as the entire ceiling gave way.


	2. Shattered Vacation

**Sorry for the delay. I've been_ very _busy these past two months. Now that I've finally got the second chapter finished, I'd like to thank my co-author Leviathan 666 for patiently enduring the long wait. So here we go...**

* * *

Milo and the gang were looking forward to vacationing in Rome when they heard of the incidence in Greece. Upon Vinny's invitation they were staying at one of his large estates in the Italian countryside. Now that there was an emergency, any further plans for vacation would have to wait.

Fortunately, Mole happened to be part of Maria's archaeological team which meant that they had the best digger in their field.

Everyone was very close with Maria. As a child she was brought in by Mr. Whitmore and learned of Atlantis' culture and language. She was quickly cherished as the "Little Miss Sunshine."

Life had already gotten dull after all these years and everyone was craving for another adventure. Now that they were all filthy rich they could accomplish everything they had always wanted whether it be opening a chain of flower shops or living the night life in a private residential beach in Miami. They soon learned that even all the pleasures the world could offer them could not satisfy their desires. They then began putting their wealth to effective use such as for charitable organizations.

Taking two of Vinny's sports cars, they raced to the nearest airport where Vinny's jet was fueled and prepped to fly. They were cleared for takeoff and soon headed towards the Cyclades islands.

It was Mole who first took notice of the situations. He had just come back from his grocery shopping at the mainland when he felt the vibrations coming from underneath. With his super keen senses, he could pinpoint an animal moving under the earth. Groundwater has been disrupted and was gushing straight towards the ancient tunnels.

Wasting no time, he alerted the staff around the site and then rushed towards a vehicle depot where he brought out the Digger. Although it was an antique, he still considered it far more effective than any other digging equipment. Audrey had even taken the liberty of providing it with the latest upgrades, complete with a special analytical and GPS device.

Taking a small group of workers with him, Mole drove the Digger towards a particular spot around the site. With a soft hum, the drill whirled to life as he leveled it into the dirt.

The water continued to pour into the chamber. Exhausted, the archaeologists had tried digging through the rubble but to no avail. Maria suffered only a few bruises and cuts and Lee broke his leg from the rock fall. Demetrio, on the other hand, was seriously injured. Lee had him sit back against the wall as he tended his wounds.

"He's losing a lot of blood. I don't know how long before he loses consciousness."

"I'll be fine," Demetrio said, his words slurred.

All her life Maria dreamed of this kind of adventure. Fat chance she was going to live to see the end of it. She closed her eyes. She saw her homeland, Saint-Petersburg. The snow-covered city was founded by Peter I. For three hundred years it stood as the capital of the Russian Empire until the rise of the Soviet Union. She had a normal life and a family. That is, until the incidence.

It all started when she was five. She and her parents were crossing a street from a park when she heard a horrible squealing of breaks. It was the last thing she heard before blacking out. She later awoke to find herself in a hospital. Her first instinct was to find her parents only to learn that they had died in the operating rooms. They were killed in a car accident.

"It was the result of drunk driving," the doctor told her. "Your parents managed to shield you with their bodies but at the cost of their lives. You're very fortunate. Your parents must have really loved you."

Maria spent the next few weeks at an orphanage home. She was still grieving for her parents when a nun came in and introduced her to a wealthy old man named Mr. Whitmore. He wanted to adopt her. At first she was in no mood for an adoption. She then saw the warmth and kindness through the old man and agreed to let him adopt her. She was brought to America where she lived a privileged life and her first taste of a McDonald's cheeseburger. That was when she met Milo, Kida, and the rest of the gang. For the first time since the accident she finally had a family. She would never get to know her parents but at least she knows they loved her. Their sacrifices proved it.

By now the water had filled to their waist, forcing everyone onto the altar.

"What we need is a miracle," Lee muttered.

The entire room suddenly shook. Everyone gave out a yelp as an enormous drill protruded from the wall followed by a dozen floodlights. The Digger stood before them, lights shining in all directions. Four figures jumped from the enclosed cabin. Each of them was wearing hard hats with lights.

Instantly Maria recognized one of the figures. "Mole?"

Mole gave out a cackle. "See? You do need me."

Maria opened her eyes and found herself lying in a makeshift tent. Her arms were connected to IV needles with a heart monitor beeping next to her. In the corner was a nurse who was rummaging through some medical containers. She also noticed a girl around her age was sitting next to her.

"Audrey?" she asked her voice grainy.

"How are you feeling amigo?"

Maria tried to sit up but found she was too exhausted. "Like a million bucks." She noticed that there were bandages draped around her arms, legs, and forehead. She couldn't recall what happened since Mole came bursting into the chamber with his Digger. The only thing she remembered was passing out inside of the Digger's cabin "Aren't you supposed to be in Rome?"

"Well, we decided to do some sightseeing in the Greek isles along the way."

A nurse came and checked in on Maria's readings. "How are you feeling Miss Yurieva?"

"I'm feeling fine." She stretched her stiff neck muscles. "How long have I been here?"

"About a week."

"A week?" Maria scoffed in disbelief. "Where are the others?"

"Your friends had to be flown to the nearest hospital. Don't worry. Sweet is taking good care of them."

"That's good."

The nurse wrote in her clipboard. "I'll come by to check on you later. Let me know if you need anything." She walked away.

"You're all lucky that we happened to have our crystals with us," said Audrey. She took out a metal case and unlatched it open. Resting in the case was the sword. "Surprise!"

Maria's eyes widened.

"Lee and Demetrio asked that I give this to you. They wanted you to fill in their work until they can recover."

With delicate care Maria took out the sword and cradled it as if it was a newborn infant. The blue ruby seemed to gleam from its hilt. "I'm only a linguist." Gripping the hilt, she slowly pulled the blade from its sheath. Its edge was still sharp from the day it was forged. She also noticed that on each side of the blade there were letters etched into them.

"By the way, your team's made the front page."

Maria gazed over the weapon at Audrey, her brows lifted in doubt. "Are you serious?"

"Seriously, the locals are even calling your team a hero!"

Maria smiled. "I could use the appreciation."

They stared at it silently for a long time- a gleaming weapon whose golden surface reflected the evening sunset that was streaming in the flap of the tent. The sword looked brand-new. Every inch was buffed to a high shine and the intricate engraving of sea waves that curled around the hilt and sheath were as clear as the day they were etched.

With reluctance, Maria shifted her gaze from the weapon over at Audrey. "Audrey, when I was in the chamber I saw records that indicated that this sword could actually be a talisman. Since I can't decipher the language, I'm hoping Milo's archives could shed some light."

Audrey shifted nervously. "So in other words this thing could actually be a weapon."

The room was silent for a long time.

"I don't like this Maria. What if someone comes after us?"

"That's why I'm bringing it to the city. It'll be more safe there than on the surface."

"Makes sense to me. I'll get this to Milo immediately. In the meantime, you need to sleep."

Maria nodded. She tried to stifle a yawn. "Remind me to thank Mole." She laid her head back and within seconds she was asleep.

The orange and red sunset was already sinking behind the horizon when Audrey stepped out of the hospital tent. A hundred different thoughts were going through her head. How many more of those terrifying weapons were there from the ancient world? She took a deep breath, breathing in the Mediterranean air. Gripping the metal case, she strode towards a campfire to meet up with her team.


	3. The Beginning of Dangerous Game

**Third chapter up! ^^ Since my partner and I are big fans of Resident Evil/Biohazard, we decided to introduce characters from those trilogies.**

**R&R please and enjoy!**

* * *

It took four days before Maria was able to make a full recovery. Mr. Whitmore, accompanied by his aid Ada Wong including several of his bodyguards, came by to pick up his step-daughter. Ada served as a replacement for Helga, who acted as Mr. Whitmore's chief bodyguard and chauffeur. Like her predecessor, she was also quiet and mostly kept to herself. No matter where Mr. Whitmore went, she was always close by.

Mr. Whitmore already made arrangements to meet the crew in Paris since that was where he had to attend his business meeting. In coincidence, it also happened to be along Milo and Kida's vacation tour.

After arriving at the airport, Mr. Whitmore and Maria took a limousine- with Ada driving- and pulled up in front of the Four Seasons George V Paris Hotel. Maria has been there on several occasions when Mr. Whitmore was on his business trips. It was a luxurious hotel with an embodied Parisian chic and a full view of the Eiffel Tower. A bellboy came and carried in their luggage. Arriving at the front lobby, they were greeted by the crew with all the members present. After congratulating Maria, they each checked into their rooms before going to an outside café. They all chatted away about the recent events, eventually coming to the subject of the sword Maria had found.

"Maria, while you were still recovering Mole did some analysis at a lab," said Mr. Whitmore. "He says that the sword is made out of an unknown element, possibly a meteorite. It probably explains how the sword was able to survive corrosion after all those years in the vault."

Milo then spoke up. "Back in the city I was rummaging through the archives when I came across an old scroll. It tells of a sword that was lost during the Great Flood. According to legend, that sword is supposed to wield an incredible power."

"You mean to say we found another Atlantean weapon?" Maria asked.

"I hope not," said Sweet. "That spear caused enough trouble for me."

"Not to mention all the damage I had to replace for our engines," Audrey added.

"And then there was that lunatic with his floating castle, monsters, and all those other hocus-pocus," said Vinny."

"I'm just glad I wasn't there," said Miss. Packard.

"I'm not sure if the sword is the missing relic. But I did take the liberty of making copies of the scrolls. We can look it up once we're up in my suite."

Mr. Whitmore sipped at his coffee. "And if it happens to be another weapon, then you and Kida need to take it to the city right away. We have a lot to do."

They paid their bills before heading back to the hotel. But little did they know that they were being watched.

A wide shouldered man was sitting at a nearby table. His face had a rough feature that expressed years of discipline built up from the Russian army. His right eye was slightly closed due to a large scar that ran from across his brow down to his cheek.

Sergei Vladimir was a Russian employee of Umbrella and its most loyal enforcer. Umbrella was a corporation that specializes in research in biological weapons. Following the fall of the Soviet Union, he approached the Umbrella Corporation and quickly became one of the company's top officers. He became personally acquainted with Umbrella founder Ozwell E. Spencer, who began to rely on Sergei as a loyal and effective enforcer. Sergei subsequently formed and led Umbrella's militia, the Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Service, as well as Umbrella's internal espionage organization, Monitor.

Sergei watched as Mr. Whitmore and his crew walked towards their hotel plaza. He was particularly interested in the girl. However, it wasn't the girl who got his attention. Rather it was the crystal pendant she was wearing. To his trained eye, he could see that all of these people had the same kind of crystal that was cut up into different wears.

He heard rumors of this billionaire's grandfather who funded a supposedly doomed expedition that returned with fabulous wealth and the ability to preserve their age over the years. And then there was this new relic they were talking about. They were definitely hiding something.

The problem is that Mr. Whitmore runs one of the most powerful mega corporations in the world, not to mention a well armed fully trained security force.

Then again, as one of Umbrella's top officers he has plenty of mercenaries under his command. If done right, they should have no problem disposing the security guards.

Besides, it has been a long time since he last used his blade. His lips curved into a smile as he sipped his coffee. It was time to put it to use.


	4. Pora Nachat

The Denver International Airport was known to be the largest airport in the U.S. and the fourth largest in the world. Yet the rain still did not seem to hinder Sergei Vladimir from standing outside his car as he waited for his contact from Washington. From what he was told, this person had been with Umbrella for almost twenty five years. He was also supposed to have been an ex-member of STARS. And there were also eye witness accounts of him having superhuman strength with gray wings and glowing red eyes. But Sergei merely dismissed them as myths. Such ridiculous stories

A black limousine stopped in front of the plane's staircase. The door opened as his contact emerged from the car. Even though it was cloudy, he still wore mirrored sunglasses. He also wore black gloves and boots and a heavy black trench coat that stretched down over his legs.

Albert Wesker. He should have known.

"This had better be worth my time. Do you have the report?"

As soon as the jet was in the air, Sergei handed him a file. He ordered vodka as Wesker read over the reports.

"Well well… what do we have here?" said Wesker. "We already have an ample fund from particular sources. Why should this multi-billionaire be of my particular interest?"

"He has a new technological power source."

This time Wesker seemed interested. "Explain."

"They are the same people who took part in the doomed 1914 expedition to find some lost civilization of Atlantis. Only they returned with all those wealth but of course they said nothing of finding this lost city."

"That expedition was pronounced a failure. Do you really expect me to believe after a hundred years they are still living as heads of the Whitmore Industry? I need real proof."

Sergei handed Wesker another file. As he opened it, a blue crystal rolled out. It hummed as it gave off a bright blue color.

"What's this?"

"Evidence my friend. Just among the many souvenirs the crew brought with them from the expedition. I… borrowed it before having it run through some tests at the lab. You'll find that there are many interesting finds."

Wesker read through the results of the tests. "Interesting," he murmured. He seemed to reconsider for a moment before setting the files down.

"Very well, you have me convinced. I have a new task for you. Steal someone from the crew so we can interrogate him of this power source."

Sergei gave out a smile. "I already have it arranged." He took out an old photo that showed an expeditionary group standing in front of a vast pile of gold and artifacts although the top portion of the photo seemed to have been cut out. My strike team will be ready within the hour."

"Report back to me as soon as you've extracted the target," said Wesker.

For once Sergei actually thought he saw Wesker's eyes glow red from behind his mirrored shades.

* * *

Maria was sitting at the hotel bar drinking… coffee.

Mr. Whitmore and the crew went out to a bureau except for Maria and Vinny who both chose to stay behind. She sat at a bar sipping from a local margarita. Her thoughts were still focused on the sword. Mole found that the weapon had a similar element structure as the crystal. Could it have also been another ancient super weapon? She then remembered the Atlantean spear the crew had recovered from the madman Eric Hellmstrom.

Paying her bill, she stood up and walked back into the hotel lobby. It was time that she paid Vinny a visit.

When Maria entered the room, she saw that Vinny was lying on his bed. "Vinny, all this time you were awake? Why didn't you answer the door?"

Vinny didn't answer. He just laid there as he stared at the ceiling.

Concerned, Maria came over and sat at the edge of his bed. Vinny continued staring at the ceiling. His breathing seemed normal. Maria started to check for his pulse.

Just then Vinny gripped her hand. "I'm fine. I was just dreamin' about perfect explosion. Then… _boom_, it disappeared."

Maria breathed a sigh of relief. "Don't scare me like that!" she scolded. Noticing that something was bothering the Italian, she asked, "You got something on your mind?"

After several moments of silence Vinny muttered, "Well... it's my girlfriend. That is, my ex-girlfriend. She was fed up that I kept hiding secrets from her. She just left me."

He sighed, rolling over. "There's no point in living this long if I can't even find myself a girl. The scary thing is, even Mole's found himself a soul mate! Hocus pocus."

"It's not the end of the world, Vinny. You still have at least ten thousand years ahead of you."

"Yeah," Vinny muttered. He sat up. "I know you didn't come here just for a visit. So what's on _your_ mind?"

Maria shrugged. "For now, just a little vacation." She took out a game cartridge. "You up for Black Ops?"

Vinny sat straight up. "I call first controller."

* * *

Mr. Whitmore and the crew stopped by at his office which was near the Elysian Fields. The huge office complex was one of the main headquarters of the Whitmore Industries. There were currently over five hundred employees employed in this building. They passed by the front desk, where four security guards were stationed.

One of the guards nodded. "Mr. Whitmore."

The crew took an elevator which took them up to a laboratory. Even at this late hour the laboratory was still filled with lab technicians and scientists who worked around the clock.

A dark haired man in a white lab coat approached them. "Mr. Whitmore!"

"Professor Dubreil!"

The two friends embraced.

"Everyone, I'm sure you all already know Maxim," said Mr. Whitmore.

Maxim Dubreil was in charge of the research facility. He was formerly part of a top secret government program until he was framed. He spent three years in hiding, dodging the CIA and Interpol. It was then that Mr. Whitmore stepped in and proved Dubreil's innocence. In gratitude, Dubreil offered his service, greatly advancing the company's technological level.

"If you'll come with me I have the gears you need for your next trip," said the professor.

"What trip?" the crew asked in unison.

Mr. Whitmore smiled. "I wanted it to be a surprise. Professors Lee and Demetrio were able to decipher some of the writings you found in Greece. It gave out coordinates for the location of another artifact like the sword. The geography turned out to be somewhere in Peru. It looks like you're going to South America."

When the crew had gone into the lab, Mr. Whitmore asked Ada to keep watch in the hall. There had been strong rumors of a mole infiltrating the research complex which is why Mr. Whitmore sealed his labs in heavy bulkheads and doors. Several minutes passed by before the lights suddenly flickered off, placing the entire building in the dark. The fire sprinklers were activated as the air started to fill with smoke. The hall was soon packed with panicked people, some screaming that there was a fire.

The door to the stairways suddenly flew open as heavily armed black clad troopers burst into the hallway. They each wore gas masks and had no insignias.

Everyone fled for cover when they saw the troopers.

"Search the building! Remember, we want them alive."

A large, middle-aged man emerged in after them. There was a large scar across his face. His movements indicated he was from a military background.

Ada instantly recognized him as the Russian colonel Sergei Vladimir. She recalled seeing him during the outbreak in Raccoon City. Shortly before the government annihilated the city with missiles, Ada had stowed aboard the colonel's helicopter, which had been carrying the deadly virus samples that were responsible for the plague.

These men were from the Umbrella Company.

Professor Dubreil was going over his new invention when they heard gunshots coming from the hall.

"Did you hear that?" Milo asked.

Ada entered the lab followed by three security guards. They all had their guns drawn out.

Milo and Kida's eyes met, their brows furrowed in worry.

"Ada, what's happening? Are we under attack?" Mr. Whitmore asked.

"We have company." said Ada.

The sound of footsteps echoed from outside the lab.

"Ada, the door!" said Dubreil.

Ada fired a shot at the door. In response, the door's sensors activated a heavy steel bulkhead door which sealed shut over the doorway.

"Isn't there another way out of this room?" Audrey asked.

The door suddenly exploded, shaking the entire building. The smell of burnt wood and smoke filled the air. A dozen black cladded troopers stormed in.

"On the floor!"

Everyone obeyed, placing their hands on their heads. Not wanting to endanger her employer, Ada did the same but still kept her small arm concealed.

"Who are you and what did you do with my guards?" Mr. Whitmore asked, feeling more angry than fearful.

A large, uniformed man stepped into the room. "Hand over the girl and the artifact and we shall be on our way."

"You want me? Come and get some," Audrey challenged.

The Russian gave out a soft chuckle. "I admire your courage child, but you're not our target."

With dread, Milo came to a sudden realization. Oh gosh, not Kida!

"I'm available. You can take me honey," said Mrs. Packard.

The man took a half step back. This isn't turning out the way he thought. He signaled his men.

One of the troopers rolled a gas canister into the middle of the lab. Soon everyone was in a coughing frenzy as smoke filled the entire room. When the smoke cleared, everyone found that the intruders were gone.

So was Kida.

No! Milo was the first to dash out the door. Hearing the rotor sounds of a chopper blade, he dashed up the stairs to the roof top just in time to see an unmarked helicopter departing from the complex building.


	5. Reunion

**Well, it took forever but after much discussion, we were finally able to post this chapter!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Milo started running after the chopper. He would never be able to forgive himself if anything happened to Kida. Fueled with determination, he chased after the helicopter. Fortunately, he had grown in shape from all the trainings over the last century.

"Milo, wait!" It was Ada. She had followed him up the stairs to the rooftop.

Milo then realized the danger but he was too late. The mercenaries spotted him. Already he could see the muzzles of their weapons pointed at him.

Ada sprinted forward and tackled him to the ground just as the mercenaries opened fire. She then pulled him behind an air duct, the bullets ricocheting around them. They waited for what seemed to be a minute before the helicopter flew away. Milo saw her aim her weapon but she didn't fire.

He watched as the helicopter faded down the horizon. "Kida!"

The rest of the crew made their way upstairs to the rooftop. Audrey punched Milo in the face. "What in the world were you thinking? You could have been killed!"

"They took Kida!" said Milo.

"What?" Audrey stared out at the sky.

"We have to go after them!" said Milo.

They made their way downstairs. Mr. Whitmore's office phone rang. It was usually used by special acquaintances. The crew entered his huge conference room. The entire room was decorated with artifacts, an imitation of Mr. Whitmore's suite at his mansion. There was a table made of mahogany wood. At the end of the table was a huge flat screen monitor which covered most of the wall. Mr. Whitmore answered the call. The screen on the wall flickered on, showing a blond-haired man wearing mirrored sunglasses.

"Mr. Whitmore… and friends," he said.

"It's been a long time Wesker," Mr. Whitmore responded dryly.

Albert Wesker was one of the top officials of the Umbrella Company. Following its downfall, Mr. Whitmore acquired the company into his corporation. However, rumors spread that Umbrella was still operating in secret.

"What did you do with Kida?" Milo demanded.

Albert straightened up and gazed at Milo, which caused him to shrink away. "You will have her once I have the artifact."

Artifact? Mr. Whitmore then remembered the sword he had entrusted it to his step-daughter. She could be in danger. He kept his cool. "What artifact do you seek?"

Wesker emitted out a laugh. "You know of what I speak of. I know of your futile attempt in hiding this artifact. It was a sword, wasn't it?"

Mr. Whitmore held his breath. "You know about the artifact?"

"I know of nearly every artifact you possess, including the Spear of Destiny. I know what they are and their capabilities." Wesker leaned forward for emphasis. "I also know of your daughter's whereabouts. I'd hate to experiment on another hostage."

Mr. Whitmore jabbed his finger at the screen. "You stay away from my daughter!"

"Then bring me the artifacts and I'll see that your friend is released."

From the occasional business meetings with Wesker, Whitmore knew there was no other way to persuade him out of this. He took a deep breath. "Meet me at the Millau Viaduct. Three days."

"Then we're agreed," said Wesker. A faint smile touched his lips. "And relax. She'll be in good hands." The screen flickered off.

Mr. Whitmore continued to stare at the blank screen.

Mole cursed something at the screen in French.

"You can't trust him. You know he'll double-cross you!" said Audrey.

"Not to mention he'll misuse some of those toys you give him," said Sweet.

"I know," said Mr. Whitmore. He touched a switch. "Were you able to get it?"

Mrs. Packard's monotonous voice answered over the intercom. "I got it, sending over the coordinates."

"Good. Have Maxim meet us there." He motioned to the crew. "Come with me." Puzzled, the crew followed him out into the hallway where they took an elevator.

Mr. Whitmore marched into the operations room of his suite, firmly controlling a sense of anticipation. Ceiling, bare walls, flooring and furniture were black in the Ops Room for the easier viewing of projections.

Standing at a short black conference table was Maxim Dubreil along with three other scientists and technicians.

"Greetings, Mr. Whitmore."

"Hello Proxy. Is everything going well, gentlemen?" Mr. Whitmore took the chair at the table's head and waved his bodyguards back. The others sat down.

Proxy was one of the latest developments of the Whitmore Company. He was actually an advanced A.I. who constantly kept in contact with the company's computer systems around the globe. He is also capable of functioning independently with real human characteristics. His speech pattern can be imprinted that gave an exact imitation of anyone's characteristics and personality.

"We had Proxy alert the local authorities. They're putting every patrol on alert," said Dubreil. "We also had someone check in with your daughter."

The news brought some relief to Mr. Whitmore. "Good," he said, "Make sure she always has someone with her." He touched a switch. The room had become a miniature monitor room, with weather, coordinates, and possibly every known location in the world. The open space had become a holographic tactical display; in one corner a flashing sphere indicated what seemed to be the mercenary assault force that had raided this complex a few minutes earlier. The wall display nearest to it gave a distance estimate of twenty minutes from the complex building.

"Fortunately, Ada was able to land a bug on the chopper before those hooligans got away." Mr. Whitmore said.

Proxy announced over the intercom, "I was able to locate the flying craft." He gave out the coordinates

The screen zoomed in to reveal the mercenaries' helicopter. "The crews stand ready for our signal," said Dubreil.

"The helicopter is just hovering there," said Proxy. "How untypical. One can only assume they must be waiting for something."

Dubreil frowned across the table.

A thick fog, which seemed to materialize out of nowhere, blanketed around the helicopter. It took several minutes before the fog lifted. They were then able to see. There were startled gasps. The helicopter had vanished.

"Sweet mother of Jefferson Davis!" said Cookie.

"It's gone!" Audrey exclaimed.

Sweet grunted. "Now here's something you don't see every day."

Mr. Whitmore fiddled with his cane, rubbing it absently between finger and thumb, as he stared out at the image. "Are you able to track it Proxy?" he asked.

"I'm sorry sir but my sensors are not picking up any trace of their signal."

"They couldn't have gone far." Mr. Whitmore could see the sheer look of horror that was etched all over Milo's face.

The two uniformed guards Kida was chained with didn't say anything as they marched her through a hallway. They stopped as Kida heard one of the guards knock at a door. After getting a reply, the guards entered, bringing along their bound captive. Kida was then directed to a chair before she heard the guards leave the room.

The sackcloth was removed from Kida's head, allowing her to get a view of her surroundings for the first time. She saw in an elaborate office aboard what appeared to be a ship although there were no windows. Artworks lined the room, depicting seafarers and other marine art. There were even a few she thought she recognized. There was a sculpture depicting a man with an ornately shaped crown sitting on a crystal throne.

"King Gahwin, one of the last rulers during the golden age of Atlantis." A large man sat behind a desk. He was middle-aged and had dark hair with streaks of white showing through. Even through the tuxedo he wore, Kida could make out the broad length of his shoulders.

Kida studied the man's features. "We met before," she said. "I attended one of your art conventions at the Smithsonian. You were doing a lecture on lost arts and civilizations. Johansson, is it?"

"It's been a long time your highness," he said. "I can see you haven't changed a bit since we last met."

It had been thirteen years since Kida last saw Johansson. He was a multimillionaire who owned companies, vast museums, and even a number of charity networks. He was also a close friend of Mr. Whitmore. They both found a common hobby of collecting art and other artifacts. However, due to the number of stocks he shared with Umbrella, many of his companies were forced to shut down along with the fall of Umbrella.

"Can you tell me where I am?" Kida asked.

"Take a good look. Does this room seem familiar to you?"

Kida scanned the room, trying to make out all the details from her memories. Her mind instantly clicked. "This used to be the office of Mr. Whitmore!" she said. She stared at Johansson. "It was you?"

"It was just business. I had nothing personal against him." Kida thought she could hear a tone of regret in the man's voice.

"Why are you involved?" Kida asked.

Johansson sighed. "My company was diminishing. I became desperate enough to strike a deal with Umbrella. Believe me, I didn't want to do this but a deal was a deal. I had to save my company."

Not forgetting Umbrella's past atrocities, Kida felt her stomach tighten. "You mean Umbrella is behind all this?"

Johansson nodded. "They've been staging this operation for months."

So the rumors were true. "But why does it involve me?" Kida asked.

"It mostly has to do with my employer. He wants to ask you questions."

"What kind of questions?"

Johansson shook his head. "I'm not exactly sure but he believes you hold the key to unlocking all of Atlantis' secrets." His intercom beeped. He answered it and then summoned the guards. "We will talk more later on. For now you will remain in your suite."

Kida protested. "Johansson…" But she was already pulled off her chair and was being whisked out the door.

Johansson waited until the door was shut. For several moments he sat there, his mind lost in thoughts. He then picked up a framed portrait from his desk. It was an old black and white photo depicting a broad shouldered man in a crisp military uniform. He stood proudly with his wife, smiling as she held an infant in her arms.

He sighed as he stared at the portrait. "Nothing personal," he muttered.


	6. To Stroll Through Paris

**Finally, a new chapter. Yay! Thanks to everyone for waiting.**

**Please remember to R&R :)**

* * *

**Washington, D.C.****:**

**Ronald Reagan National Airport:**

The helicopter descended towards the warehouse of the Ronald Reagan National Airport. The dark hull of the chopper contrasted to the gleaming white color of the capital's buildings. Sergei Vladimir was standing near a private landing platform toying with a cruel looking blade as he waited for the chopper to land. He didn't even know why he was still here working for a dead corporation. More than once he considered retiring but he didn't have any other place to go. Back in Moscow he was already branded as a deserter.

The side door of the chopper opened revealing a tall blonde man wearing a black leathered suit with mirrored visors that seemed to gleam sinisterly in the sun. He strode over to Sergei who stood bracing himself.

"Do you have him?"

Sergei signaled his men. In response the mercenaries opened the back of a van and dragged out a captive. The victim's hands were bound with ropes and he had sackcloth draped over his head.

"I had some doubts but your men actually pulled through."

"I have my men double their efforts."

Wesker walked over to the prisoner. He held the blue crystal pendant that was draped around the captive's neck. "What do we have here?'"

* * *

**3 Days Ago…**

**Somewhere in Antarctica:**

Deep beneath the tundra, concealed under the thick sheets of ice was an entirely different environment. The research center previously held one of Umbrella's many dark secrets, the Veronica virus. Since the incident of Raccoon City, it was closed down. It now served as headquarters for Wesker and his renegade teams of mercenaries.

Johansson's usually calm expression was teeming with worry. "The prisoner is still uncooperative," he reported. "She was able to resist every interrogation methods we could find."

Wesker nodded. "She's strong but she will eventually have to submit."

They were in a large conference room with every senior Umbrella officials were present.

"And what are the results of the excavation process?"

"The excavation in Greece is nearly complete," said one of the officials. "We are transmitting results on the data."

"Possibility of an unknown civilization," said another official from Spain. "Transmitting data."

"The Peru sites have been thoroughly excavated. Transmitting data."

The rest of the officials reported the results of their finds and signed out. Their holographic forms vanished from the room, leaving Wesker and his aid to read through the files. Over the years Wesker has grown to become a genius at piecing together information.

"Interesting. Do you notice any familiar?"

Wesker's aid, Captain Slater, studied the screen. "I can see they all have some sort of ring circles sir."

"Each of these markings was built inside of a temple, most likely to commemorate their past."

Slater blinked. "Their past?"

"They belonged to an ancient empire that stretched to the far corners of the earth."

"An interesting concept sir but I fail to see how an ancient civilization relates to our current situation."

"The fact that they are ancient does not mean they are made up of primitive dwellers. They were an advanced people who possessed weapons and technologies far beyond our time. That's how they were able to conquer their enemies." He smiled. "Their powers will soon end up in our hands and with it we will rise out of the ashes of Umbrella."

The intercom beeped from his desk. He answered it.

The large screen in front of him flickered on. It was Sergei.

"We found the artifact. It's sitting at their hotel. And get this, Santorini is guarding it. I believe our old comrade is alive."

"Alive?" For a long time Wesker remained silent. "Retrieve the artifact. I believe it's time we pay our old friend a visit."

Sergei's mouth widened into a grin. "As you wish, comrade."

* * *

**Seasons George V Paris Hotel****:**

**Paris, France:**

At Vinny's urging, the bodyguards went on break from their shifts and were lounging downstairs at the bar. They left one guard standing outside their door. It was just awkward for Vinny knowing he was being watched twenty-four hours a day. Just for once he wanted to experience a normal life.

Santorini laughed seeing how Maria was trying to play Black-Ops.

Maria muttered, "I hate games. I'm an athlete, not a nerd."

"Hey, at least your scores fair better compared to mine."

There was a loud knock on the door.

"Probably Connor," said Maria. "I'll get it." She stood up and walked towards the door. "Who is it?"

"Room service."

Maria frowned. She couldn't recall ordering any services. "Vinny? Did you order anything?"

"No. Why?"

She peered through the peep hole. Why wasn't Connor at his post?

Maria called out to the bell waiter, "I'm sorry but I think you have the wrong room."

The bell waiter only replied, "If you don't pay now you'll be charged a fine."

Hesitating, Maria unlatched the door and slowly swung it open. She then jumped back. Standing behind the bell waiter was a white-haired man in a tuxedo outfit.

He was pointing a gun at the waiter's head.

"Inside," he ordered.

The bell waiter pushed the cart further into the room before the gunman clubbed him with the butt of his gun.

He motioned with his gun. "Move."

Vinny's eyes widened as Maria entered the room.

"Nicholai?" he asked hesitantly.

Nicholai shoved Maria towards a sofa.

"So, it is true. You are alive. It's just like yesterday, remember, friend?"

"What do you want?" Vinny asked.

"It's a matter of what my employer wants."

"Your employer?"

"Take a guess."

The Italian felt an icy cold feeling stir in his chest. "Wesker? He's alive?"

"You thought he perished in the explosion?" Nicholai shook his head. "You of all people should know better."

Vinny's eyes were fixed on the gun. "I don't think he sent you here just to settle a vengeance."

"Indeed. Where's the artifact?"

"What artifact?"

"Stalling won't work. Give me the artifact."

"How about you ask nicely?"

Nicholai raised his gun so that it was nearly touching Vinny in the face. "Give me the artifact!"

Nicholai's body suddenly went rigid and then he fell forward and lay still.

A slender woman wearing a red dress stood in his place. She was holding a taser in her hand.

"Ada!" Maria exclaimed.

"The red angel," Vinny murmured.

Ada only replied, "You care to explain why my men are lounging downstairs in the bar?"

* * *

It took them only a few minutes to tie up Nicholai and search him for any weapons. Now that Umbrella knew the artifact was here, they knew better than to stay in their suites. Ada dialed the local police, spoke something about hearing gunshots, and fired a few blank rounds with her sidearm.

Maria took the artifact and they made their way out in the hallway.

They found Connor, their bodyguard, slouching unconscious in the custodian's closet. They had no problem reviving him.

"You need medical help," said Maria.

Connor placed his knees under him. "I'll live." He slowly stood up, rubbing the sides of his head. "Who was he?"

"Eh, some old acquaintance," Vinny answered. "We'd best get moving."

They made their way downstairs toward the hotel lobby. Ada didn't have to look to see Nicholai's goons forming on their trail. Opening a makeup kit, she punched in a few keys. They eventually made it out to the front entrance where there were a dozen bellboys standing outside. Each one of them had their hands drawn toward a hidden weapon.

It was too late to turn back. They were trapped.

There was a sudden screeching noise of tires as a black BMW approached the hotel's entrance. The bellboys scrambled to get out of the way and the thick armored car crashed through the front entrance. Hotel guests exclaimed in surprise as the car made its way into the lobby. Its side doors flung open and with one swift movement knocked the crew into its passenger seats.

With that, the car sped off, leaving behind a trail of damage and debris. The disoriented group of mercenaries was just recovering when they were again forced to jump out of the car's path.

Ada was sitting at the passenger's seat "Right on time," she said.

"Timing has always been part of my programming."

Maria then noticed that there had been no one at the driver's wheel. "Proxy?"

"Greetings mistress Maria. I trust all is well?"

"My dad never told me anything about this."

"You should see what I can do with a jet."

"We're being followed!" Ada snapped.

Maria looked back to see a black helicopter approaching from the distance. Three black SUVs started forming behind them.

"I never knew they fly this close above the city," said Vinny.

"That's because they don't," said Proxy.

Connor started to sag in his seat. "He's losing consciousness!" said Maria.

Ada then switched the controls to manual. "Hang on!"

Maria clutched at the handles as the car veered a sharp corner. Drivers honked their horns, cursing as the black BMW sped through the streets. Even while maneuvering through traffic, the car was able to bypass the speed limit. Maria pressed herself against the seat and tried making herself as tiny as possible.

They passed the Eiffel Tower. The black SUVs continued to give chase, crushing through anything that got in their way. The helicopter was right above them.

"Eh, they're still behind us," said Vinny.

"We can hide but that doesn't mean we can't run," said Ada. She switched to full gear. "Hold on!" The car veered another sharp corner, flicking off its lights as it went into a tunnel.

The helicopter's pilot saw this. "Stay on them!" he shouted through his headset. He brought the chopper at the other end of the tunnel, expecting to see the BMW. Instead, only the three SUVs emerged from the opening.

They reported, "No good. We lost them."

The pilot shouted to the co-pilot, "Circle around. They may still be in the tunnel."

* * *

Ada peered out the side windows. Their pursuers have gone back into the tunnel, presumably thinking they must have taken cover there.

"An interesting stunt you pulled," said Vinny.

Maria held the artifact in her lap. "What I don't get is why would they go through all this trouble for an artifact?"

"I don't know," said Vinny. He frowned. "Maybe it has to do with more of that hocus pocus thing."

"Whatever it is, it must be worth something of value," said Ada. Her phone beeped. She read the message. "We're to meet up with Mr. Whitmore at the Millau Viaduct."

Vinny stretched back. "It's going to be a long trip so we might as well get comfortable."

Connor groaned as he sat up. "What did I miss?" The engine wasn't running. How were they still moving? He then saw that another car was sitting on an above platform.

They were sitting snug into the back of a semi-trailer.


	7. Two Betrayals

**Hi everyone! Sorry about the long delay. Well, it's finally here! You may have to read the previous chapters to refreshen your memories but otherwide, enjoy and remember to R&R!**

**Authors' note: The Millau Viaduct is one of the newest bridges located in Southern France.**

* * *

**The ****Millau Viaduct, Southern France:**

Vincenzo got out from the car when Maria ran up and hugged her stepfather.

"Maria! Are you alright? I was worried after hearing about the incident from the hotel."

"I'm fine dad, just a bit shaken up."

Ada went up to her boss. "Mr. Whitmore, I must talk to you." Preston looked at Maria. She nodded and went away towards Santorini who was lighting a cigarette. This surprised her because she had never seen the Italian smoking a cigarette.

"What is it Ada?"

"It's Vinny. They know he's alive and this meeting could be a trap." Mr. Whitmore sighed and looked over at Milo who was carrying the case with the artifact.

"We'll just have to keep him hidden. Remember, their main objective is to retrieve the artifact."

"We're just going to hand over the artifact?"

"I'm the one responsible for all this mess."

"Don't be so sure, Mr. Whitmore." Everyone turned in surprise to see Sergei Vladimir standing in front of them. The early morning fog had concealed his approach. He was holding Kida in front of him, his gun pointing at her neck.

"Kida!"Milo shouted.

The Russian smiled. "I'll set her free if you give me the artifact, comrade."

"You want the artifact? Here, take it!" Milo slid the case towards Sergei, who caught it with his foot. He gave out a smile and was just about to pull the trigger when Kida dropped her legs beneath her.

This caused Sergei to stumble and fall forward. He fired clumsily into the air. Using this opportunity, Kida bent forward and kicked out his weapon. She then lashed out a powerful kick, her blow landing against the side of the man's head. There was a grunt as the Russian staggered backwards before falling onto his back.

Kida made a run for it. Sergei pulled out his second side arm and fired a shot. Kida gasped in pain as she clutched her legs. Sergei was about to squeeze out a second shot when a bullet suddenly knocked out his gun. He tried to dodge for his weapon but was blocked off by a slender woman wearing a red dress.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Ada was standing above him, her gun raised. Milo ran over and took the case. To everyone's astonishment, Sergei gave out a laugh.

"So it is true. You are alive. It's been a long time Santorini or should I say commander?"

"WHAT?" The whole team was shocked at hearing those words. Mr. Whitmore didn't seem to react. He already knew of this little secret. It was just between him, Ada, and Vinny.

Audrey started to ask him, "Vinny, how did you…"

"I'll explain to you later." Vinny walked up to Sergei adding, "If I were you, I'd take the artifact and leave. And leave my friend out of this."

Sergei stared at him in bewilderment. "You actually care about her?"

"No… I mean yes! Her life does matter to me." Vinny started to grow irritated. He then spoke in an authoritative tone. "Sergei, I'm giving you a direct order. Take the relic and leave!"

Sergei chuckled. The sound of rotating blades of a helicopter could be heard from a distance. "I'm afraid that isn't possible comrade." The sound of the helicopter grew louder until it rose near the partially constructed bridge. U.B.C.S. troopers were sitting on its sides, their rifles pointed at them. Ada reluctantly tossed down her weapon and kicked it aside.

Sergei stood back up and gave Vinny a smirk. "Now we'll play a game of my own. It's called hide and seek."

"Let's not."

The crew could do nothing but watch helplessly as Sergei made his way over and grabbed Kida.

Milo tossed the case over to Vinny. "Vinny, take the case! Just let him have it so he'll set Kida free."

Sweet tried to interfere but stopped as a dozen laser target designators moved towards him. "Milo, can't you see they're not here to bargain?"

"Your friends are right Mr. Thatch." Sergei stepped back with the queen. "There is no bargaining." Tear gases suddenly filled the air, covering the bridge in green gas.

In the midst of the confusion Milo felt the case get snatched from his hands.

"Take him!"

"Yes sir."

Thirty minutes passed by before Ada regained consciousness. She slowly stood up. Kida and Sergei were long gone. Everyone else was sprawled on the ground unconscious. But where was Vinny? He was nowhere to be seen.

Mole was wearing a gas mask. He pointed frantically at the opposite end of the bridge. "They took him. They took them both!"

Ada was furious. "You had a gas mask?"

"I keep it for my digging. Why?"

"You only brought one for yourself?"

Ada gave out an exasperated sigh. "Shit," she muttered.

**Ronald Reagan National Airport.**** 3 days later:**

"What do we have here?" Wesker removed the sackcloth from the prisoner's head. "Here's a familiar face."

Wesker kicked the prisoner awake. Coughing, Vinny opened his eyes.

"Welcome back Vinny. Your family missed you."

Vinny sat up as he rubbed his head. He found himself sitting on a chair in a lone warehouse. "What family?"

"Maybe this ought to refresh your memory."

Vinny's eyes widened when a familiar form emerged from the shadows. The person had a black nose, wore white shoes, and he wore a violet suit, which matched the color of the gloves he wore on his hands.

"Vinny! It's been so long since we've seen you. You haven't even aged a bit."

Vinny stared into those mad green eyes of his former partner, Spencer… or what had once been Spencer. Spencer was a scientist who fell victim to one of his twisted experiments. The result was tragic. He had barely survived. It was said that his face was so deranged he had to hide it by dressing as a clown which was how he got the name as Joker. Vinny still didn't understand why Spencer would choose such a ridiculous outfit let alone change his name to Joker but over time it seemed to fit the new Spencer.

"I was certain I killed you," said Vinny. "Or maybe it was Wesker."

Joker looked hurt. "That's harsh. We shared many memories together haven't we?"

"We'll have plenty of time to catch up," said Wesker.

"Hey, I know! We should play a little game of mine." Joker gave out a deranged laugh as he approached Vinny with an injection needle.

**Paris****, France. Office of Whitmore Industries**

Lightning crashed as the rain pattered outside the window. The weather forecast said to expect heavy thunderstorms.

"I wish I could have told you earlier," said Mr. Whitmore. The crew was back in the conference room of Mr. Whitmore's office. A large photo was displayed on the monitor. It showed Mr. Whitmore posing with Vinny and a much older man. "Back in 2000 we ran a joint business empire. Me, Spencer, and Vinny. It was Vinny who made our business prosperous. In fact, he was so successful Umbrella offered him a position which he accepted."

"Why did you hide it from us Mr. Whitmore?" Milo asked.

"He asked me to hide his identity for your sakes. What else could I have done?"

"Milo, I know it's been hard for you," said Audrey. "First Kida and now it's Vinny." She took his hand. "It'll be alright. Mr. Whitmore, would you mind telling us from the beginning?"

Mr. Whitmore sipped his coffee. "Alright. It all started six years ago. I was working late at night when Vinny walked up to my door."

_Mr. Whitmore was __up late going over the reports of his company when he heard a knock at his door. It was his butler._

"_Mr. Whitmore? I apologize for the interruption but you have a visitor."_

"_Tell him to come back later. I'm busy."_

"_But sir, he's badly hurt and he claims to know you."_

Who could it be at this hour?

"_Thank you Harold. I'll be out there shortly."_

_Taking__ his staff, he got up and immediately followed Harold through the hallway to the front door. To his surprise he saw Vinny leaning against the entrance. His clothes were soaked with blood all over it._

"_Do you have a doctor?" he gasped. With that, he collapsed. Harold broke his fall by catching him in his arms._

"_Get him inside. I'm going to call Sweet," said Mr. Whitmore._

_A few hours later Sweet confirmed Vinny was in stable condition._

"_He's been roughed up a bit. With plenty of rest he should be able to make a full recovery. He also asked that he sees you in private. I'll leave you two alone."_

_Mr. Whitmore walked into the room where Vinny was laying on a sofa. This was the very room where he introduced himself to Milo for the Atlantis expedition. There was the same aquarium filled with exotic species. The fireplace still had the ivory ornaments that were carved around it. And then there were all his antique collections that hung all over the walls. Nothing had really changed save for the few modifications as the house approached the 21__st__ century._

_The billionaire moved Vinny's coat away so he could sit across from him. He then noticed a small card sticking out from the pocket._

_Pulling it out, he was stunned to find what he read on the card:_

U.B.C.S. Forces Commander Vincenzo Santorini

"_That's impossible. You__'re just a business man."_

"_Hocus-pocus."_

"_Vinny, what on earth happened to you?"_

"_Please, don't tell anyone. My sins are only mine."_

"_What are you talking about? Vinny, I'm asking you…"_

_Vinny's eyes rolled back as he drifted as he drifted back into unconsciousness._

_Mr. Whitmore patted Vinny on the shoulders. "You get some sleep."_

_He went back to his office and searched through the database of the two companies. He found through the reports that Umbrella's headquarters in Washington was recently blown up. Casualties included Wesker who was badly injured. But there was no report of the Italian._

**Paris. Office of Whitmore Ind.**

"From what I heard, Vinny got in a car crash," Sweet said as he took a cup of coffee.

"I know I know but I've already made a promise to him. Officially it was said that Vinny was killed in an accident but I gave him a new identity as Ezio Domingo, the head of bureau in Italy who specializes in chemistry."

Milo sat in silence grunting in acknowledge as he sipped his coffee.

"So what should we do now?" Maria looked questionably at her father.

Mr. Whitmore's desk intercom beeped. He answered it. It was Andrew Smithsoan, Mrs. Packard's nephew.

"Mr. Whitmore, you have a transmission from the Andes, sir. You better see this!"

"Bring it up on screen."

The office's large monitor flickered on. The screen showed a chaotic scene as a group of mercenaries fired their weapons at an unseen target. The camera seemed to be attached to a moving helmet. A woman approached the camera man, who seemed to be badly wounded.

"Get down!"

The camera wobbled as an explosion ricocheted nearby.

The camera shifted to a panicked looking man.

"We are under attack! Taking heavy casualties. I repeat: heavy casualties! We can't… argh!... eed evac! They came out of nowhere. We need-" He gave out a grunt as something struck him from behind.

Soon the transmission was cut off.

"Everything cuts out after that," said Andrew. No comm. traffic at all. Just goes dead. There's nothing."

"Reverse and hold at thirty-eight point five," said Mr. Whitmore. He studied the screen. It never showed the attackers although. His men were highly trained and well equipped. It would have taken more than rebels or traffickers to bring down such a unit.

Umbrella?

It didn't matter. His people could still be out there and he was determined to get them out.

He contacted the Peruvian government. After explaining the situation, the government promised they would investigate the matter. With their permission, he also organized a team to recover the site. He already assigned the original crew since they were the best in their fields and would probably be needed.

And then there was Kida and Vinny. How was he going to find them let alone explain to the Atlanteans of their queen's abduction? He was going to have to act fast.

He looked out the window. The sky's color had already grown darker.

Perfect. Just perfect.

**Somewhere in Germany****.**

**The Johanssons' Estate:**

Kida sat on the bed in her room which included a butler at Johansson's request. Her leg had fully healed from where Sergei shot her, thanks to the crystal she wore around her neck.

The room was cavernous and was very luxurious even to her standards. A large crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling. The walls were covered with some of the most elaborate ornaments ranging from drapes woven from the finest fabrics to paintings which must have valued in millions. There were also priceless furniture and wardrobes filled with clothing that could even envy royalty. And then there was the bathroom. Its Corinthian walls were adorned with precious stones. There was a large Jacuzzi tub, a high-tech shower stall, and two large marble sinks. All of the faucets were made out of gold. There was even a butler outside who brought in whatever Kida wanted.

It was definitely fit for a queen although Kida barely took interest in her surroundings. However, one thing did appeal to her.

She stared out the window sill. Outside was a beautiful view of a garden. It reminded her of her home. Before the cataclysm, she and her mother used to stroll through the palace's private gardens. She couldn't recall much of what happened but the thought always gave her a sense of serenity.

There was a sound of footsteps. Kida stiffened but relaxed when the door opened. It was Johansson.

"Mr. Johansson?"

"Mrs. Nedakh," he bowed his head respectfully. "I trust you are comfortable in your suite?"

"I am fine, thank you."

Johansson hesitated. "There is someone who would like to see you."

_What? _Who else could possibly be involved?

Another man stepped into the room. Kida's eyes widened. She felt a rush of anger.

"Traitor!"

Taking a vase from a nearby table, she threw it towards Vinny who caught it with one hand. Vinny was fully dressed in an Umbrella uniform.

"Kida, please, I beg you…" but he was stopped short as the queen punched him in the face. Vinny staggered backwards. Recovering, he saw that tears streamed down Kida's face.

"Why?" she sobbed.

Vinny sighed. "We should take a walk."

The garden was even more beautiful than Kida had thought. It contained gardens of all kinds ranging from flower gardens to tropical gardens. There was also a Renaissance garden that was made up of a maze of tall thick shrubs.

Kida and Vinny sat at a bench near a large fountain. Kida fingered a flower in her hands.

"Is this all true?" she asked. "Everything you did was a lie just to benefit Umbrella?"

Vinny chewed a match stick in his mouth. "I'm afraid so. It started out as an innocent career, a way to earn some extra cash. But then Wesker saw me as a valuable asset and decided to put them to use." He chuckled. "It's amazing how much you can accomplish in a hundred years eh? Anyway he gave me a job offer to raid a lab somewhere in a small Mid-western town of Raccoon City. I refused to take part in any of this but of course he wasn't going to take no as an answer."

He sighed. Kida could see the deep sadness in his eyes. "It wasn't until he threatened to make an attempt on our lives that I was finally forced back into his business. I did what I could to protect you- you and our friends from Wesker. Out of all the stupid things I did, lying to you was the worst."

They remained silent. The water fountain continued to trickle behind them. From somewhere a blue jay sang.

Kida finally spoke, "Vinny, you could have told us. We would have helped you."

Vinny shook his head. "No, you don't understand what Umbrella is still capable of. You will remain out of harm's reach as long as I keep playing by their rules."

"If it does go wrong, you and our friends are always welcome to hide in the city."

Vinny pondered that for a moment. Johansson was one of the few outsiders who knew of the city. But he would never reveal its location to Wesker even if it meant facing certain death. "I'll consider it." He glanced at his watch. "Time's up. We'd best be heading back."

They walked in silence as they made their way towards the mansion. The two guards were there, ready to escort Kida back to her suite.

"Get some rest… your highness."

Kida still said nothing as she was walked up the stairs. At this rate, Vinny probably lost her trust. Not that he blamed her.

Vinny waited long enough before turning to leave. His phone suddenly rang. It was Wesker.

"Vinny, now that you've finished your little reunion head back here. I have a special assignment for you."

"Understood. I'll be there shortly."

"And just so we're clear, I still don't trust you. Make any wrong move and I'll make sure your friends share the same fate as you."

With that, Wesker hung up.

Wesker was right not to trust him which was why he sent an aide to keep watch over him. Vinny went out front. His aide was waiting outside near his limousine. Vinny still couldn't stand being around that clown.

Joker made a mock bow. "Your chariot awaits sir!"

Vinny couldn't help but wonder by betraying his friends was he really saving them? Or was he just using it as a camouflage to save himself?

No. Although it wasn't noble, he was at least doing the right thing… for now.

He slid onto the seat. "Let's just get out of here."

Giving a deranged laugh, Joker got in and closed the door. The car drove off.

"So tell me. Did you get anything out of her yet?" he asked.

"No," Vinny muttered.

The sun was already setting as they made their way towards the airport.


	8. Ancient Trouble

**Mr. Whitmore seeks help from his rival while the crew finds a secret lost over time. What will they find next? The only way to find out is to keep reading!**

**Please R & R!**

* * *

**Las Vegas, Nevada**

**The Lucky Dragon Hotel**

The air of the lobby was filled with the clattering-sound of poker-chips and slot machines with occasional cheers each time a patron won a bet. The "Lucky Dragon" was an Asian-themed casino/hotel and was ranked as one of the largest hotels in the world and boasted a wide-range of activities including spas, restaurants, casinos, and even a golf course with its own country club! It was popular tourist destination, especially among avid gamblers.

It was also a place where people came to make friends, engage in business transactions, sign deals, and form stronger bonds with players of the games.

Ada strode through the hotel, enjoying a moment of tranquility as she strode her way through a make-shift tropical garden. She crossed a bridge that stretched over a pond before making her way to an elevator. She stepped into the elevator, which was built along-side an aquarium. A variety of fishes were gawking at her as the elevator rose up. The doors then opened on the balcony level.

Stepping out, Ada soon turned into a hallway, passing a jovial looking couple before she reached another lobby. In the corner was a mini-bar. The bartender paused from mixing his drink and nodded towards the back door.

Ada soon found herself in a large office with a wide-open view of the hotel's courtyard and the activities in the casino below. There was a shadowy table where three men were playing cards. They gave her a glance before continuing their game.

A tall, broad-shouldered man sat facing her from behind a desk. He was bronze-skinned with close-cropped hair and he was wearing an expensive looking tuxedo. A body guard stood behind him, watching Ada closely.

James Paek was a multi-billionaire and the sole owner and manager of the "Lucky Dragon."Having served in the Special Forces, he owned and operated a highly successful technology company "Gordon's Industries." The company specialized in manufacturing state-of-the-art technologies and weapons for both the military and civilian use.

James stood up. "Ada, what a surprise! I didn't expect you to arrive this early. I trust your trip went smoothly?"

Ada replied, "It went well. Thank you."

James gestured towards the chairs in front of him. "Please, have a seat. Can I get you anything- some Sake, or maybe tequila?"

Ada had to admit she was a bit parched from her trip. "A tequila would do just fine," she said as she sat down on one of the comfy sofas.

A server came in with a tray and poured them each a glass of tequila.

Ada swiveled her cup. The drink was brewed from James' agave plantation, one of his many increasing profiteering businesses.

"You mentioned that there was something you wanted to talk to me about," said James.

"Yes, I did," said Ada. "I'm here on behalf of my employer. We found that you were selling weapons to a group of renegades."

For a long minute James stared. "You assume too much for making such accusations. My company profits from the weapons and technology we distribute to the U.S. and throughout the rest of the world. To be involved with terrorism would deal a crippling blow to our stocks."

"One of our archaeological teams came under attack in Peru. Their escorts shouldn't have had any problems dealing with a bunch of drug cartels. The only way this could have happened is if a rival company was selling weapons to private organizations. I think you'd better start explaining."

For a long moment James stared at her. "There were multiple security breaches at my facilities. Several caches of weapons were stolen including schematics of some of the prototypes I was developing."

"Prototypes?" Ada asked.

"They were among my latest developments. They are the next-generation robots specifically designed for the military. It makes me shudder knowing that they could have ended up in the wrong hands."

He poured himself another glass of tequila.

"In this case we eventually found that Umbrella was behind all this. Mr. Johansson contacted me and informed that Umbrella was selling my weapons on the black-market. There's just no way I could prove this. Umbrella is too good at covering their trails."

"Umbrella recently stole an artifact we unearthed from the Greek isles."

"Strange that Umbrella would go through all the trouble just to steal an artifact."

"Indeed," Ada agreed. "There's something about this." A sudden thought occurred to her. Are you still able to contact Mr. Johansson?"

James frowned. "What do you need to talk to him for?"

"A friend of ours was abducted by Umbrella's forces. We were hoping Johansson would be able to indicate their location."

"I see." James pondered this for a moment. "I'll see what I can do but it may take some time before I can contact him. In the meantime, make yourself comfortable. This hotel has many suites which would fit with your liking. I can have someone show you around."

"How generous of you," said Ada. She stood up to leave. "Until then." With that Ada strode out of the room.

James watched her leave. He then poured himself another glass of tequila and quickly downed it.

_Captain Castilla,_

_Some officials of the Whitmore Company will be joining you in the investigation. As you already know, their company plays a vital role to our nation's economy. I am entrusting these people in your care. Take good care of them and see that they get home in one piece._

_Sincerely,_

_President Ollanta Humala_

**Peru, South America**

Milo was awakened by a slight jolt as the plane landed on the air-strip. He could hear mixed grumblings among the other passengers. He then felt the plane lurch as it came to a halt. Opening his eyes, he looked out the window and saw that they were in the middle of a grassy field surrounded by thick forests.

He heard the pilot's voice from the plane's cockpit, "I could have sworn we ran over an animal. Looked like some kind of armadillo."

"That was a pot-hole," the other pilot answered.

Sweet stretched his muscles. "I tell you, there's nothing like a good nap during a long trip."

"Tell me about it," said Milo as he rubbed his neck. In truth, he actually was feeling a lot better. He looked around the plane. The plane consisted of mostly belongings that were shoved to the rear of the cabin. "Where's Mole?"

He heard an exuberant cry and saw that Mole was the first to exit the plane. Mole grabbed fistfuls of dirt. "Where have you been my pretties? I belong with you down here, not up there!"

Ever since that encounter with the abominable snowman Mole had developed a phobia around heights especially when it came to flying.

Milo and Sweet stepped out of the plane. At the bottom of the steps was a group of park rangers giving bemused stares at the little French-man.

"Sorry about that," said Milo, quickly switching to Spanish, "He gets kind of anxious from flying."

One of the men tore his gaze to face Milo. "So I see. I am Director Losutu. I will be acting as your guide. Are you Milo Thatch?"

"That's me," said Milo, shaking his hand. He then introduced Sweet and Audrey before they helped unload their belongings.

After receiving the distress call, Mr. Whitmore sent the crew to Peru. They were to meet up with the Peruvian police where they would investigate to find out what happened at the archaeological dig. There was a good reason why they were being sent to another dig since Mr. Whitmore was sending the entire crew.

Audrey and Maria had stayed behind to help Mr. Whitmore search for council was enraged when Milo told them of their queen's abduction. Some even wanted to activate Atlantis' weapons, which was all the more reason they should find Kida. Milo wanted to search for his wife but Mr. Whitmore informed him that his expertise was needed in this situation.

He tried not to think about the horrific experiments he heard that Umbrella conducted on their victims. He swore that if they even hurt Kida, he would make sure they regret it.

Since it was evening they all agreed to stay for the night at a nearby lodge before venturing out towards the ruins. It was a two-hour drive on the mud road before they reached the Tambopata River. From there they took a ferry boat and then continued trekking through the forest. They stopped to re-supply at a local village near the base of a mountain. They were sitting around a fire, chatting with the villagers as they shared a meal of fried fish and plantains when someone told them of the mountain's history.

"When the Spanish first settled here they sent out an expedition which included one hundred soldiers. Only twenty-two came back alive."

They spent three days driving up the path on the mountain slope when they finally reached the archaeological site. Ruins including decayed buildings lay neglected along the forest. A huge pyramid towered above the tree tops. The Peruvian police were already there, scouring along the sites as they patrolled the area.

The team was greeted by Captain Castilla who was in charge of the operation. He was a thick-muscled man with sunglasses who walked with an air of authority around his men.

"That is quite an operation you have here," said Sweet.

"There are a lot of drug-cartels around these areas," Castilla explained. "We think they may have been the ones responsible for the assault."

From Castilla's report, the crew found that nothing had been stolen. Even the artifacts- most of them placed at high value -were left untouched. Except for a truck that had crashed into a tree, the camp remained exactly the way it was when it was abandoned. Barrels and crates laid scattered around the site. Tents that have been left erect stood at slanted angles. Tools and artifacts still remained on the tables. There was nothing that could have indicated the attackers. Their only clues came from the bizarre-looking foot prints with two-toed prongs and torn, charred tents and equipment around the site.

Numerous numbers of artifacts were found including armor and weapons that had belonged to Spanish conquistadors. The police found a large chest in one of the tents. When they opened it, they found official records that were sealed by the Queen of Spain. There was a smaller chest which contained a gold cross and a journal that belonged to a friar named Alfonso de Leon. According to the journal, he had traveled with Francisco Pizarro during his conquest of Spain. The pages contained notes and sketches from his journeys.

Milo was allowed to keep the journal which he placed in his knapsack.

Castilla escorted the crew through the pyramid. He had a police officer take guard positions at each side. The work lights the archaeologists had left behind were used to illuminate the passages.

Milo paused to gaze at the walls. "Look at all these hieroglyphs!"

Losutu shined his flashlight on the walls. "They each tell a different story. As you can see from the inscriptions the Mayans continued to build this pyramid that spanned many generations. Over the years they would over-lap their pyramids until they were encased within a larger pyramid."

"Interesting," Milo murmured. He frowned as he gazed at the wall. There was something about those figures that bothered him. Perhaps they were warning of something?

They walked through the passages until they found themselves inside of a chamber. More work lights illuminated the area, revealing the hieroglyphs and inscriptions along the walls. Rows of statues stood guard on the ledges. Four columns stood at each corner of the chamber. Two of the columns had already fallen, causing part of the ceiling to give way and allow sunlight to filter through. A set of badly crumbled stone steps led up to an altar at the end of the chamber.

The sight nearly took Milo's breath away. "Good nights. Look at the size of this place. This chamber must be four- no -five stories high!"

Mole sampled the stone walls. "Limestone and shale." He licked the stone. "Grinded corn kernels. Hmm, I would say this particular section of the pyramid is well over seven thousand years old."

"That would make it older than the pyramids of Egypt!" said Losutu.

They climbed the steps and saw that there was a large statue of a snake sitting against the wall. On top of the altar were three sets of rings marked with hieroglyphs.

"A Mayan calendar!" said Losutu. "The Mayans' calendar system had a total of three hundred and sixty-five days, equivalent to the number days in a calendar year."

Milo touched one of the rings and felt it shift. He experimentally tried the other two rings and found that they rotated in the same manner.

"These are locks," said Milo. "We always used them back at home." He rotated one of the rings. "See? They work just like the combination numbers on a padlock."

"What exactly does it open?" Castilla asked.

"I don't know but I think we're about to find out." Milo took out the friar's journal and flipped through it until he found a page with the sketch of the calendar. There were numbers written next to it.

"Let's see," Milo rotated the rings as he tried to match them from the picture. A soft _click_ emanated from the altar. The lower jaws of the snake statue suddenly lowered, revealing a blue-colored orb.

"Milo, I've got to hand it to you. You really came through," said Sweet.

Milo shrugged. "What can I say? I'm an idealist, just like my grandfather."

Milo walked over to the statue and stopped as he stared at the orb. Tiny hexagonal patterns covered its surface. Each of them had individual letters etched into them. But they weren't Mayan or any other Mesoamerican languages.

Milo breathed. "Jiminy Christmas! This thing is Atlantean!"

"Wait, what?" said Losutu.

Castilla shared the same puzzled expression on his face.

Milo silently cursed himself for being careless. Before he could answer, someone started clapping from behind them.

Everyone turned around to see Nikolai with a squad of U.B.C.S. mercenaries at the bottom of the stairway. Red laser targeting reticules were lined up on the crew.

They were the same mercenaries who had tried to eliminate any potential survivors during the outbreak in Raccoon City.

"Impressive," said Nikolai. "We were never able to figure out how the combinations worked. But thanks to you, we now have it opened."

Castilla glared at the police officers who were supposed to have been keeping watch. Reluctantly, he lowered his weapons and raised his arms. Everyone else did the same thing.

"Who are you? What do you want with us?" Castilla asked.

"Who we are doesn't matter," said Nikolai. "Give us the artifact and I may give you a merciful death."

"You attacked the archaeologists just for an artifact?" said Losutu.

Nikolai emitted out a soft chuckle. "Is that what you think? No, we figured we would let them find the orb for us." He raised his gun. "Enough talk. Give me the artifact."

"You'll have to move it yourself," said Milo. "It's stuck and it requires special tools to remove them."

Nikolai hesitated. He then motioned to two of the mercenaries. "Mesnard, Putin, with me. The rest of you keep an eye on them. Shoot them if they move."

He walked up to the altar. "In the corner," he said, motioning with his gun.

The crew obeyed and gathered against the wall.

Nikolai went over to the statue and snorted when he saw the orb. "You Americans amuse me. Pry it off," he ordered.

The mercenary named Mesnard nodded and grabbed hold of the orb. When he placed his hand on the orb, the statue's jaw suddenly clamped onto his arm. He tried to struggle free but the serpent wouldn't let go. He then gave out a yelp before he finally managed to pry out his arm.

"What happened?" Nikolai asked.

Mesnard clutched his hand. "I don't know. The thing pricked my finger and then it let me go."

Nikolai pointed his gun towards the crew. "What are you playing here?"

The statue's eyes suddenly glowed red. Red energy snaked out from the statue, illuminating the inscriptions on the walls. It spread from the altar before it engulfed the entire chamber.

The statues sitting on the ledges started to glow with crossed-sectioned patterns of red energy before they crumbled away. Tall, metallic-looking figures stood in their place. They had bird-like heads with red leering eyes. In place of their fore-arms were scorpion-like claws that snapped open and close.

Mole cried out, "The mountain. She awakes!"

"What are they?" Castilla asked.

Milo answered, "They must be sentinels!"

The figures leaped into the air, their sharp talons making clacking sounds as they rapped against the stones. They jumped down and landed with relative ease where the mercenaries stood.

The mercenaries shifted their assault weapons on the new threats.

"What are those things?"

"Fire, fire!"

And then all hell broke loose. They managed to squeeze off a few rounds but the sentinels already moved in. Moving with super-human speed, they crushed and sliced at the mercenaries while blowing them apart with blue energy bolts from their pincers. Screams filled the chamber as the sentinels quickly overran the mercenaries.

The crew could do nothing but watch in sympathy at the onslaught.

The machines soon started to close in on the altar.

A horrifying revelation came to Milo. At least he now knew what became of the missing archaeologists.


	9. Illusion of Borders

**Chapter 9**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 9: Illusion of borders

The mercenary screamed as he was torn in half by the razor-sharp pincers of the sentinel. It unceremoniously tossed his body onto the pavement to join with the rest of the smoldering corpses. The surviving mercenaries had retreated and were positioned around the altar. They were heavily armed with some of the best equipped weapons from the U.S.S. Even so, it was already clear that they were out-matched to these sentinels. This Nikolai knew when he witnessed the carnage.

"Nikolai, you can't face them alone," said Milo. "Let us help you. Give us back our weapons and we may have a fighting chance."

Nikolai grimaced but knew that he was right. He signaled some of his men and they gave the crew some of their additional weapons.

"This is not over," he snarled and tossed Milo his side-arm.

Milo nodded and checked that it was fully loaded. He was familiar with every kind of fire-arms including the ones kept exclusively in Mr. Whitmore's security-forces. This weapon was something unique. For one thing, the weapon contained electronic ignition systems. These systems would do away with mechanical firing actions and replace them with a purely electrical means of igniting the firing charge. This explained why it was light-weight. And it enabled a customizable but comfortable pistol grip. There were also multiple attachments including an uplink cable and wireless modem that could lead from the handgun's scope to the operator's HUD or data eyepiece. This would allow precise targeting of the gun no matter where it was pointed, including around corners. That is, if he had an HUD or data eyepiece. He joined with the others and took position against one of the pillars.

"Alright, it's show-time," said Sweet. He and Mole were carrying a similar weapon. The police officers managed to retrieve their own weapons.

The sentinels charged, firing their energy-weapons. This time both the crew and mercenaries were more slightly prepared. They quickly took down the nearest sentinels using heavy-weapons and shrapnel. Someone threw a flash-grenade. However, it still did not stop the oncoming hordes of machines. Two of the mercenaries took energy weapons through their chests. Another cursed as a sentinel jumped out of his line of sight and impaled him through his torso.

Milo barely managed to duck out of the way as blue energy streaked above his head. He fired several shots at the sentinel but the rounds glanced off its armor. The sentinel came lunging towards Milo. He quickly side stepped to avoid the heavy blade. There was a loud _scrunch_ as it smashed into one of the pillars. The sentinel's pincers were imbedded so deep into the stone that its arm became stuck during the process.

Milo again tried shooting at its head and neck but the rounds did not even penetrate the armor. It soon pulled free and whirled its pincers towards Milo. He rolled out of the way so that he was facing its back. He then rolled backwards in time as a second sentinel tried to crush him with its claws. One of the machines crumpled as it was hosed down by a hail of bullets. He then raised his weapon and fired three more rounds at the other sentinel.

It was a useless attempt.

The sentinel back-slapped the side of Milo's head, the impact throwing him against the altar. His weapon clattered somewhere on the ground. His vision blurred, he tried to stand but felt a heavy clawed-foot press against his chest. The sentinel raised its claw and charged its energy-weapon.

Milo thought he could hear a loud creak followed by a groan emanating from somewhere nearby. He looked up and saw that the wall in front of him was moving.

Nikolai snarled as he dodged a volley of energy-bolts from the charging sentinels. He managed to take down one of those monsters before he was forced to fall-back from his position. He threw a flash-grenade and took cover behind the altar. Blinded by the intense flash, the sentinels fired blindly at his position. He saw that some of the energy bolts streaked above Milo's head while others blew apart the base of the pillar, forcing Nikolai to shield his face. The pillar tilted but still remained in a fixed position.

More screams echoed through the chamber.

He fired a dozen more shots before retreating behind one of the stone-pillars. He was soon down to his last magazine.

"What does it take to kill these things?" he muttered.

He saw Milo trying to hold off against two sentinels. He was a good fighter but he already lost. He could kill them while they were distracted. He poured fire on one of the sentinels, depleting his last cartridge. The sentinel did go down but its counter-part didn't seem to take notice. It was still going after its intended target.

The sentinel tried to swing at Milo but he managed to roll out of its way, the blade narrowly missing its target. The massive-blade smashed into the pillar Nikolai was using for cover.

Nikolai cursed as he tried to steer clear from the sentinels' melee attacks. Milo was still holding out as he vainly attempted to take down the sentinel with his weapon. He was soon knocked against the altar.

The sentinel pressed its foot against Milo's chest and raised its pincers. Its weapon hummed as it began to charge with energy.

Suddenly there was a loud crack as Nikolai's pillar tore lose from the wall. With a groan, it fell forward, tearing out a chunk of the ceiling before it smashed against the opposite wall.

Milo tensed as something smashed against the chamber's wall followed by a deafening _thud_. The weight on his chest suddenly grew a lot heavier and for a moment he feared he would be crushed to death.

When his mind finally cleared, he saw that the sentinel was lying in a smashed-up heap on top of him. He then saw that it had been crushed by a giant pillar which had broken loose from the opposite wall. How was it that he was still alive?

His body trembling, he glanced up. The pillar's momentum had been caught by the altar which was why it was lying at a slightly horizontal-position above him.

He barely managed to whisper a silent prayer of thanks before he managed to pass-out.

When Milo came to, he saw that he was lying in a large medical tent. Life-support systems and I.V. needles were hooked up to him. He winced as he tried to sit up. He hadn't noticed the bandages that were wound-up around his torso.

"Welcome back to the land of the living," said Sweet. He was sitting with a young nurse. They were obviously conversing when Milo stirred.

Milo rubbed his eyes. "How long was I out?"

The nurse checked the vitals on the monitors. "Several hours. You were lucky. Had it not been for Mole we would never have found you in time. It took four men to lift you out from there. That compression on your chest should have killed you. Fortunately I was able to use the crystal to heal most of your injuries but you'll still have to do some healing on your own."

Milo shot a look at the nurse.

Sweet smiled. "Don't worry. She's cool."

The entrance-flaps pushed back as Audrey and Mole entered the tent. Audrey had a cast on her arm while half of Mole's head was draped with bandages.

"Look who's awake."

Milo gave a weak smile. "Hey guys. Did you miss me?"

Sweet stood up. "We'll leave you alone. We need to check on the other patients." With that, he and the nurse left the tent.

Audrey and Mole recounted the events when Milo had passed out. The pillar had widened the ceiling-gap of the chamber, allowing Nikolai to call in a support chopper which they have been using to follow the expedition. The chopper was able to lay fire and quickly take out most of the sentinels while the team and the mercenaries made quick work with any stragglers.

With the threat neutralized, they thought Nikolai was going to kill them. Instead, he pried the sphere from the serpent-head's mouth and disappeared with the chopper. His team left their dead behind while the wounded were being treated at a separate tent.

Milo shivered as he realized how close they had come to getting killed.

"By the way, what happened to Castilla and the other officers?"

"They're fine," said Audrey. "They're guarding the prisoners until they can call in some back-up."

"As much as I'm glad that no one was killed, without that sphere we still don't have any leads to the other relics."

"I wouldn't put it that way." Audrey opened the knap-sack she had been carrying and took out the sphere.

Everyone gasped.

Mole examined the sphere and confirmed it was legit.

Milo frowned. "If you have the orb then what did Nikolai just take with him?"

Nikolai was glad to be leaving that desolate temple behind. When they were approaching the temple the helicopter had been filled to maximum capacity. Now with over half his team wiped-out, its occupancy was nearly empty.

The surviving mercenaries were exhausted and shaken from their recent encounter. Nikolai paid no heed. He had endured through worse during the Raccoon City incident. It had cost them but they had achieved their objective. He opened the case. The sphere gleamed against the twilight and he had to admit that it was an alluring sight. It made it almost worth the price.

Almost.

He then frowned when it started to shift colors. Taking out the sphere, he shook it. The sphere swirled with multi-colored-dusts. Examining the sphere, his concern became a certainty when he found some writings etched onto its surface:

PARTY CITY

MADE IN PERU

He swore viciously. No point going back. By now that place will be swarming with agents.

Slamming shut the case, he sat back and closed his eyes and allowed his dreams to engulf him.


End file.
